Hiding formula

  • Thread starter Thread starter Talltrees
  • Start date Start date
T

Talltrees

I recently created a spreadsheet for someone. Asked a small fee for doing
it. I was told by email it was not what she wanted. A friend had come to her
house and set one up just like she wanted. I believe they copied my
spreadsheet. Is there a way to hide formulas? Part of the spreadsheet was
protected.
 
Hi Talltrees!

A low level of hiding can be achieved by checking the "Hidden" box on
the Protection tab. You could do this for all cells on the sheet and
it will hide all formulas once you apply sheet protection.

However, sheet protection is very easy to circumvent. See for example:

http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/removepwords.html

--
Regards
Norman Harker MVP (Excel)
Sydney, Australia
(e-mail address removed)
Excel and Word Function Lists (Classifications, Syntax and Arguments)
available free to good homes.
 
Thanks for answering. I have used the hiding, but when the column is
producing results to be seen and used, I cannot hide it. What if I wrote the
formula somewhere else and told it to enter the result in another column?
 
Hi Talltrees!

More secure, but still not very strong, would be to use custom
functions and protect the VBA project.

You might also put the calculations on a hidden worksheet.

All sorts of options are available but all have ways round them.
There's also possibilities of reverse engineering.

--
Regards
Norman Harker MVP (Excel)
Sydney, Australia
(e-mail address removed)
Excel and Word Function Lists (Classifications, Syntax and Arguments)
available free to good homes.
 
Tall

With the formula hidden from view in the formula bar as Norman has instructed,
the results of that formula will still show in the cell.

You cannot enter a formula "somewhere else" and send its results to another
cell unless you use another formula in the "somewhere else" to refer to the
results of the original.

You may be better off using some veryhidden sheets where the calculations take
place and then use VBA to bring just those results to a sheet visible to the
user.

BTW......in order to ensure a long and successful career as a purveyor of
spreadsheet creations I would suggest you get your money up-front.

Gord Dibben Excel MVP
 
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